Who killed Father Dominic
by Lady-of-Nolava
Summary: Father Dominic found something important, and he wants to show it to Suze. But Suze was unfortunately engaged in tonguehockey with Jesse. Who was why, when Father D was found crucified, hanging on top of the basilica, Suze must investigate. davinci code
1. Chapter 1

Who Killed Father Dominic?

Susannah Simon – the sassiest ghost-hunter ever!

It's all my fault. He left me a note. If only I came sooner. Then he wouldn't be crucified and hung on top of the Basilica.

Suze was happily on a date with Jesse, ex-ghost and fellow mediator. But while they were doing the most exciting thing – kissing, Father Dominic sends them a most urgent note, asking them to check his invention out.

But Suze, thinking it's typical Father-Dominic-eccentricity, ignored him. Next thing she knew, he was crucified and hung one top of the basilica. Who could have done such a heinous crime, hanging a priest? Oh, only dead, recalcitrant and religious spirits, that's who.


	2. Chapter 2

One

"Susannah," Jesse said, breathing hard, causing the word that came out sounding a little ragged as he rested his forehead against mine. We had just been kissed, and were now coming up to breathe. Which gives the word 'breather' a whole new definition.

"Jesse." I wasn't breathing too evenly myself. Let's get back to kissing, Jesse, I thought. Don't talk.

Just as we were leaning in, however, my pager beeped. As my mother had forbidden me to have a cell phone, I have to make do with a pager. Which have a tendency to beep in the most intimate moments.

_Damn_. I turned it off and snuggled into Jesse's arms. "Let's continue, Jesse."

"Te Amor, querida," Jesse murmured into my ear. This always causes me to giggle, for what reason I don't know. It's not even that tickly.

Anyway, we must have done that until midnight. Jesse and I were watching a movie. It was the Senior Prom, and after the dinner and dance, Jesse had brought me to see a movie. Except that we'd basically spent the entire movie kissing. Hey, it was my Prom. Give the girl a break.

"OK, querida," Jesse said, as he seized both my hands as I tried to slip them around his neck, and placed them firmly in my lap. "It's almost your curfew. Besides, the movie's ended already. Let's get you home."

The movie had really ended. Except that I had

so totally not noticed it. I was caught in my unbridled passion. Which I hoped Jesse's carnal urges matched the amount of intensity.

"Fine." I got up and went to the carpark. I had borrowed Sleepy's car ("Suze, since it's your Prom and all, you may borrow my car, but if you ever rammed into something, I'll kill you," Sleepy had said) for my big night.

Jesse stood leaning against my car, gazing at me as I buckled my seatbelt.

"You want me to drive you home or something?" I asked.

"No need, querida. It's only a ten minutes walk back to my apartment." Jesse said. I leaned out of my window for a goodnight's kiss. Jesse laughed and compromised. But the goodnight's kiss lasted longer than it should be, and deepened to a full fledged French.

"Susannah," Jesse gasped as he lifted my face from his mouth, "I may have been dead for the past hundred and fifty years, but that doesn't mean I don't know how people say good night. And generally, when people say good night, they keep their tongues to themselves. So get going home, querida."

I gave a last longing sigh, then resolutely ripped my gaze from Jesse's lips and pulled away onto the mainroad.

"Bye, Jesse." I called before driving away.

"Goodnight, Susannah." Jesse walked away into the darkness, back to his apartment, when my car disappeared from the turnoff.

Uh-oh. I had turned my radio on, and was

totally horrified to hear the DJ announcing, "And now the time is twelve-twenty-nine.

_Damn_! My curfew is twelve-thirty! I, not wearing a watch because somehow they always end up getting smashed by some recalcitrant spirit, did not know what the time was. However, I knew, this argument would not go well against Andy.

So I proceeded to drive like a madman (OK, a madwoman, but do mad people even have licenses? Do they even know how to drive?) and was soon speeding away. Alas, I was slowed down by a red light.

Even though there was no passengers, I decided to wait anyway. I mean, it's lucky enough I didn't get a speeding ticket. Besides, I'm late enough already. So what's a little traffic-rules-obeying?

I flicked on my pager, looking at the message. By the time the green light was back, I was still standing there, stock-still. Because what I saw made my blood turn to ice inside my veins.

_Susannah_, it said, _I need your help. I have found something about the recent mauling of hitchhikers on the Carmel Beach. Please come quickly before they get me._

_Father Dominic_

"Jesse!" I shouted as I raced for Jesse's apartment. Hopefully, I could find him and then save Father Dominic. Which I felt might be a lost cause.


	3. Chapter 3

Two

There was a recent mauling of hitchhikers waiting for a ride at the Big Sur. I had seen several of them at the drive back home from the Winter Formal. Back then I had been like, sorry, buster, but I'm on my way home, not cross-country.

And I'd actually thought it was no big deal. I mean, I'm pretty familiar with the sight of hitchhikers, being from Brooklyn and all. But CeeCee assures me that this was a rare sight. As rare as seeing places in New York with no bird droppings, anyway.

"Suze," Adam had said the night before the prom. We were all sitting at the Coffee Clutch (apple cider for me, cappuccino for Adam, and expresso for CeeCee), and Adam was reading the day's paper. "Gee, hitchhikers murdered," he said, shoving the paper into my face. I took one look at it, and promptly spewed my mouthful of apple cider onto CeeCee's laptop (she was typing out her newspaper report for our school paper).

"Eew, Simom. If you ruined my modem, I'd make sure you paid for that." CeeCee grumbled, wiping her laptop with a paper napkin.

I was, like, eew, too, but for a different reason. Because the picture they had on the paper? Yeah, it was totally gross. There's this guy's body, and his stomach was cut open and all those intestines were falling out. Oh, and his skull was cracked open, and revealing the pink mass of brains. CeeCee, who was curious about the article, leaned over my shoulder to see clearly. What she saw made her scream like a girl.

"Eew!" CeeCee freaked out. "Get that out of my sight, Suze!"

I proceeded to close the paper, but in doing so, I caught sight of something. Which is very bizarre for me to notice.

There, twisted grotesquely out of shape, was a huge gold cross necklace. You know this religious junkies? Yeah, the type of cult jewellery they wear. Apparently this guy was way religious. Maybe he was even on the way of visiting the Basilica.

But that's not the only weird thing. What was even weirder, was that I knew this guy.

He was the guy that waved this huge sign that says: Ride to Basilica, please. I recognised that gold necklace and the red bandana, splattered with brain juice that laid beside the corpse on the article.

And I was thing about that when I drove back to find Jesse. Jesse's apartment was with Sleepy. Which was a big coincidence. And Sleepy had promised me to spy on Jesse for me, and he'd even warn Jesse "not to break my little sister's heart, or I'll kick your butt". Which was totally touching. Not that Jesse would ever break my heart, of course.

Anyway, I went over to the guard. He was a sour old man who gave me the hairy eyeball. I mean, I was dressed nicely and all.

"What's a young lady like you doing here at midnight?" He asked, in a tone that I'm sure he meant to be flirtatious, but which just turned out to be disgusting.

"It's prom night, Mister, and I left my handkerchief in my boyfriend's pocket." Great excuse, Susannah. How many people even carry handkerchiefs these days? Except Jesse, who is from the nineteenth century.

The guard grunted and opened the gate. I drove in, parked my car, and went for an ID check. I dialled Jesse's room number.

"Hello?" A sleepy voice sounded. It was Sleepy's voice!

"Sl-Jake, can I talk to Jesse?" I asked.

"Suze? What are you doing here? You're out of curfew."

"Yeah, I know. I left my handkerchief in Jesse's pocket."

Sleepy just grunted, and I heard him call, "Hey, dude, it's my sister."

My sister. I felt a weird feeling coursing through me. It had always been my mom and me. Plus my dad, whom nobody except me could see. Who had just moved on a year ago. How does it feel like, to have additional brothers?  
"Nombre de dios, querida. What are you doing here?" Jesse asked, sounding amused.

"Jesse," I said. "It's about Father Dom. I think he might be in mortal peril."

Jesse was quick about it. "Wait a minute. I'll be down in a flash." And then he hung up.

The guard glanced at me. "Are you going in or not?" he asked.

"He's coming down to return me my, er, handkerchief." I said.

And speaking of the devil, Jesse arrived. Except that he was so _not_ the devil type. He looked innocent and good. It's just a figure of speech.

"Susannah," he said. "What's going on?"

"Get in the car, Jesse," I said. "I'll tell you on the way."

And then I pulled off the curb, and got onto the expressway. Around Big Sur. The place where I met the disembodied Christian guy almost a year before.

"OK, Susannah," Jesse asked, "what's going on?"  
I showed him the message Father Dominic had given me. Then I said guiltily, "And I, uh, didn't read it. Because I was engaged in, uh, other things."  
"In other words," Jesse said angrily, "you didn't read it because you were busy kissing me?"

"Well..." I said.

Jesse looked mad. I had never seen him look mad before. Except when he found out I had died for him, and for that time when I'd gone after Paul to bring him back to the future.

He clamped up and wouldn't talk to him. I sighed. And I bet he wouldn't kiss me either.

But that was not on my mind when I parked my car outside the mission. Because there, illuminated by the red glow of the Basilica, hung a life-sized body. And let's just

say it's not a plastic one.


	4. Chapter 4

Three

My first thought was, _eew, blood, I think I'm going to faint_. Then I realised: it wasn't chicken blood, or anything. It was human blood. Father Dominic's blood, to be precise.

"Aaaargh! No!" To my shock, I had started crying. Bawling in Jesse's arms, no less. I was shocked. I mean, I thought he might be kidnapped or something. Not like, nailed onto a wooden cross like Jesus Christ.

They had taken the crucifix from the office. The one where I met Adam on the first day of school. They had sawed the plastic model off and placed Father Dominic on it instead. Then they had nailed his palms and feet, and placed a wreath of thorns on his head.

That was sick. As sick as that Jesus Christ movie they had made in America and was banned in Asia. I don't blame Asian governments, banning it. I had took one look at the advertisement, which was the scene in which the guy that acts as Jesus Christ was nailed on top, naked. I had immediately barfed down my summer of Nachos a la mode. And not just because he was naked, either.

I mean, Father Dominic have to be dead. Due to blood loss or extreme pain. I mean, that poor guy's sixty. Plus all his joints were popping out of their sockets, because his weight is strained on his palms.

Jesse hadn't screamed or wept in my arms. He just held on to me, tight. And muttered my name over and over again. "Shush, querida," Jesse said into my hair, "everything will be alright."

After a few minutes of Jesse saying that and being all caring, his anger at me forgotten, I stopped crying. I had stopped being sad. Now I'm just mad. Now I feel like busting someone's chops. It even have therapeutic value, especially for someone who, like me, might be grieving. Because that's what I was doing. Grieving for Father Dominic.

Except that I stopped feeling sad and started feeling

mad. Really mad. I was extremely angry. Why, oh _why_ had I not answered Father Dominic's message and come over? Why had I ever thought that a make-out session after Prom was more important than saving my mentor's—Father Dominic was like the Obi-wan Kenobi to me, Luke Skywalker, ever since I entered the Mission—life? I mean, if I had come over, I might save the poor guy's life.

I am going to avenge his death. To the ends of this world, even the spiritual plane. I would follow the evil-doer to the bowers of hell, if needed. And the coolest part of the whole thing: I didn't even care. Really. I had cried out every last ounce of emotion in me, and now, I simply didn't care. It didn't matter. It really didn't.

I was numb.

So then I got out of the car, and moved to climb the palm tree that was directly in front of the Basilica.

"Susannah," Jesse called. "What are you doing?

Duh. What else could I be doing? "Take a closer look at the crucifix, Jesse. I want to see if Father Dom left any clues. Like, you know, that curator in _The Da Vinci Code _did."

But a slip dress was not the perfect outfit for tree-climbing. It was my Prom, after all. Plus it costs like, a hundred bucks?

Then I thought, Suze, what is wrong with you? It's just a dress. You're doing this for Father Dominic. Isn't he worth more than a hundred bucks?

So I started climbing. But palm trees aren't exactly easy to climb, you know. It doesn't have any branches that's below fifteen feet. Needless to say, I was only five feet seven, plus my inch-high stilettos.

"Susannah," came a man's voice. "What are you doing?" I nearly lost my footing and fell on the muddy ground. I mean, it had just rained and all. But then I turned around and got a good look at the person who was talking to me. And nearly jumped out of my skin (OK, I guess I have to jump out of my dress first before jumping out of my skin, but whatever).

"Father Dom!" I cried. "You're…"

Dead. A ghost. I was seeing the priest as a spectral phenomenon.

"I'm so sorry!" I wailed. Now that I'd seen the ghost of Father Dominic (which was pretty impressive, him wearing this purple robes with this cross around his neck, and he was young and all. Like, thirty. I didn't know he had blonde hair. The only way I recognized him was his familiar black bible tucked under his arms and his pair of glasses).

Father Dominic looked at me sadly. "What's done is done, Susannah. We have to make the best of it. But why are you climbing a palm tree?"

I couldn't very well tell Father Dom it's because of _The Da Vinci Code_. Father D is strictly adversed to that book. He says it's nonsense.

"Oh. I was trying to see if you left any clues."

Father Dom sighed. "I found out who killed the hitchhikers and then killed me. It was because the monsignor was planning a revival camp. It attracted hitchhiking Catholics from every region of North America. The people who killed me hates Catholics. What better to them than to kill the Head Priest who was in charge of the ceremony?"

"Tell me who killed you, Father Dom," I cried. "I'll avenge your death!"

"Undead Christian werewolves." He said.

I gaped at him. "Uh, Father D.?" I said. "No offense, but are you in shock after seeing your body, or something? Because I hate to break it to you, but there's no such thing as werewolves. Much less undead ones."

Father Dom looked irritated. "How," he asked, "do you know?"

"How do I know what?" I demanded. "That's there's no such thing as werewolves? Or undead ones? Um, the same way I know there's no Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy."

Father Dominic said, "Ah, but people say that about ghosts. And you and I both know that that's not true."

"Yeah," I said, "but I've seen ghosts. And remember that that's the same thing you told me about when you said

Thaddeus 'Red' Beaumont is a vampire? Well, you were wrong. He wasn't .He's just a guy who take too much medication, if you know my meaning. So likely you were wrong it this werewolf case too. Plus, can you be more cliché? Undead werewolves?"

I was having an intense argument with Father Dom, who insisted that the 'Undead werewolves/ghosts' killed him.

"Yeah, Father Dominic, but how can anyone be both undead _and_ dead? I mean, you have to be dead to be a ghost, right?"

"If you'd just let me explain, Susannah," Father Dom scolded, "instead of contradicting every sentence I say, I could have told you!"

OK. I get it. "Sorry." I said in a meek tone.

"The ghosts are Christians. But they are in a voodoo curse inflicted on them. By whom, I do not know. But when there is a full moon, they were become werewolves, and they will not be dead for one night. Which means that they can kill innocent hitchhikers. Because that's when they're undead, so they can touch them and all."

I looked up and felt a sudden chill. Just this evening I was wondering to myself how romantic it is, dancing with Jesse under a full moon. Now I'm not so sure.

Jesse saw me shivering and handed me his jacket without a word. I took it gratefully. So far, he had not say a word since Father Dominic reappeared.

"What do you think, Jesse?" Father Dom asked.

"I think you're right. Susannah," Jesse took me by the shoulders. "Be careful. Don't go outside after the moon rises. We might be in danger."

Um, hello? I might as well be grounded. Which I was sure was going to happen, because Andy sure was. It was one in the morning already.

"I'll call the police," Jesse said, striding over to a pay phone. "I'll tell them that I was driving my girlfriend home when we passed by the Basilica, and then we saw Father Dom's body, and then she fainted, and I waited for an hour for her to regain consciousness."

"Hey, I'm not the kind of girl that faints whenever I see blood, you know?" I said. I was kind of narfed. But what Jesse said could be true. Because I had barfed when I saw Jesse's body. Because I knew and cared for him. So I'd think Andy would find this excuse plausible.

"Susannah, you should go home by now." Father Dom said, glancing at his watch.

And that made me go, "Are ghosts' watches accurate?"

Father Dominic looked at me strangely. "Yes, of course."

Jesse finished the call and came back. "Let's go, Susannah. Your parents will be worried sick." And then he placed an arm around me and steered me to my car. But we hadn't moved ten feet when I heard a howl.

The kind of howl you hear in horror movies, when there are werewolves in there. For instance, in _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_, when Harry found out his Professor was a werewolf.


	5. Chapter 5

Three

"Get in, quick." Jesse shoved me into the passenger seat, and leapt over to the driver's side. He got in quick as a mongoose—not that I knew what mongooses are or how quick they are, but I'd heard they're pretty fast—and started droving away. We could hear the sirens of CBTS police car on the way.

Jesse drove me into the parking lot of the beach to think things over. After making sure that the werewolves or whatever were not after us, of course.

"Do you want to go home, or anything?" Jesse asked me.

My jaw dropped. "Go home? After the potential danger we might be in from talking to Father Dom? I can't let my family get involved!"

Family. I'd said family. I should say 'mother', but obviously I considers people I actually cared about (ie. Doc, Andy, and Sleepy, who lent me the car).

"Let's figure it out. You actually believed what Father D said? About undead werewolves/ghosts?" I asked.

Jesse looked grim. "No human could have done it. Only wolves. Plus you heard the howls, Susannah."

As ridiculous as that sounded, I have to admit that Jesse is right. It really could be werewolves.

"So… maybe we should go to the library."

Jesse looked at me like I'd suggest he go and die. "Susannah? What are you talking about?"

I rolled my eyes. "Look, dude, I've read lots of books about werewolves. Maybe we can lend a book on how to kill werewolves? I mean, books like X-files? So we are try out the methods? Like, silver bullet or something?"

Jesse relented. "The Community Library it is."

"Listen, Jesse: In some cases, the werewolf is portrayed as being invincible and nearly indestructible, with decapitation of its head and removal of its heart as the only surefire way to kill one. In other superstition the weapon of choice is the silver bullet, and other weapons made of silver. In the old Hollywood version of the myth, a werewolf can be killed with a silver bullet, and is allergic to the herb wolf's bane. More modern films have werewolves being killed by various silver objects. In these latter versions of the myth the werewolf is more often wolf-shaped, although larger and stronger than any ordinary wolf." I was surfing the web to find info about werewolves, and Jesse was reading various horror books.

Jesse put away his stack of Stephen King books and took me by the hand. "Come on, Susannah. Let's go to a shop and see if they sell silver bullets."

I looked at him as if he's crazy. "Uh, Jesse, we don't have guns. Well, I'm not eighteen yet. Maybe we could go to the apothecary's and buy some wolf's bane?"

"Susannah," Jesse said flatly. "Do you want to avenge Father Dominic's death or not? The bullet's the only way. Unless you want to lope off its head with a chainsaw, or claw its heart off with your newly-manicured nails?"

I was a bit narfed at Jesse saying "newly manicured nails". I mean, it's my Prom night. Give the girl mediator/werewolf hunter a break. "The chainsaw thing," I said firmly.

"Susannah." Jesse looked exasperated. "I'm twenty. I can buy a gun."

"Jesse." I mimicked his gaze of frustration. "They don't sell silver bullets nowadays."

"Then I'll buy a silver ingot, and make it into a bullet." Jesse was undaunted.

"Uh, hello? Do you realize there are probably dozens of werewolves? And that pieces of silver as big as a bullet is damn expensive? You're going to go bankrupt if you do that." I stared determinedly at Jesse. Jesse looked away and peered at the computer instead.

"Hey, what's this?" He scrolled down further. I hadn't bothered to after the revelation of silver bullets and wolf's bane, and I could tell he was excited about his discovery."Susannah, this is important!" Jesse waved for me to join him. I looked over his shoulder, and saw:

Ablation of heart or the brain

Werewolves can be killed by any wound that destroys the heart or the brain, decapitation of its head and removal of its heart, or any form of death that causes brain or heart damage (such as hanging or other oxygen-deprivation methods).

Silver bullets

It is said that shooting using silver bullets is very effective in killing werewolves. Silver is a metal has long been considered to have mystical properties. Even if its efficacy has often been traced to pagan belief in the power of certain metals to ward off evil spirits (among Irish folk, iron is used to ward off evil fairies), the role of silver in werewolf mythology seems to appear after the rise of the catholic church.

In modern literature and movies, its influence ranges from zero to being the only thing that can injure or kill a were.

"We can hang them," Jess said. "All we need is a rope."

"See?" I said smugly. "It says that shooting silver bullets is not effective for sure. It can be anything."

"Fine." Jesse turned to look at me. "The bullet's the back-up plan then. I'll go buy some ropes, and you get the herb."

We agreed to meet up ten minutes later. Jesse went to Wal-Mart and bought several coils of rope. I went to the Eastern Medication shop and chose the herb from various tonics and spices.I had gotten ready to leave when I saw Paul Slater.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

Paul shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Besides, heard about Father Dominic's death. Maybe it's got something to do with us." He pointed at my herb.

"Leave me alone, Paul." I tried getting out of his way. Usually Paul was tolerable. But tonight he seemed strange. Like, there's this wild look in his eyes. His hair was tousled, and there were red polka dots on his shirt.

It was only when I ran off from the shop that I realize: that red dots on Paul's shirt?

Yeah well, it was blood.

How to kill werewolves information found in: http://werewolves.


	6. Chapter 6

Four

I ran all the way from the apothecary shop to my car. I quickly jumped inside the driver's seat, flicked on the ignition, buckled my seatbelt, and sat there, breathing hard. When someone's hand landed on my shoulder, I inhaled deeply and let out a piercing scream.

"Hey!" Jesse took his arm away from my shoulder and put a finger to my lips. "Susannah, are you OK?"

I gulped. Sure, Jesse. As OK as someone who just saw an Alpha werewolf. "Let's go, Jesse. I'd just seen Paul in the herb shop, and he's a werewolf."

Jesse didn't need any explanations. He quickly got in the car and said, "Speed away, querida."

I shifted my gears into reverse and drove out into the highway. I planned to go to Jesse's place to prepare my werewolf-hunting plans.

It was exactly three in the morning. I was dead tired. I mean, I had spent the whole morning shopping for a nice dress and pair of shoes with CeeCee; then spent the afternoon dolling up at the salon and getting a manicure; and then spent the last eight hours dancing, eating, watching a movie/making out, driving around, seeing a naked guy crucified hanging on top of the Basilica, climbing a tree, finding information at the library about werewolves, shopping for wolfsbane, and then seeing my classmate/fellow mediator getting blood on his shirt. How fresh can you feel?

"Jesse," I said, checking the rearview mirror to make sure Paul wasn't following us, "I met Paul in the Eastern Medication shop, and he looked weird. I mean, there's this wild look in his eyes. His hair was tousled, and there were red polka dots on his shirt. They were blood clots splattered onto his shirt. I think he's the werewolf."

Jesse had been checking our list on what to buy for werewolf-hunting. He started up when I said that Paul's a werewolf. "Susannah," he said, "we must warn your family. Slater must have found out we were onto him when he saw you buying that herb. He might decide to kill your family to get back at you."

Great. Not only was I in the risk of getting a family punishment, I might never have a family anymore. Why am I so submerged in this kind of supernatural occurrences? They might as well make a television programme or movie out of my life. You know, starring Susannah Simon as Suze, the sassiest ghost-hunter ever…

…Not. Plus this wasn't even ghost-busting business. We're dealing with undead werewolves. Too bad there's no Duffy the Werewolf Hunter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, get it?) to help us.

"We don't know for sure if he's a werewolf or not. I mean, in TV, people don't know that they become werewolves when they are under the full moon. They just have memory lapses." I said. Plus, maybe Paul's only a henchman. Maybe there's another Alpha werewolf, using Paul as a pawn. You know, to throw us off the scent or something.

We were now driving along the highway. As it was very early in the morning, there were almost no other cars beside our car. The moon was very bright, glowing eerily. I used to like the moon. Now I'm not so sure.

"Susannah, look out!" Jesse jerked the steering wheel from my hands and veered it to the left, narrowly missing contact of a large prone object that lay in front of the Camaro.

I was almost asleep by then, and didn't notice the obstacle. However, when I realize what that was (I think I have better night vision than Jesse), the blood in my veins turned to ice and I sat stupefied.

"Susannah." Jesse had mistaken my stupefied expression for being stunned and in a stupor. "Do you want to let me drive you home? I think you're too tired. Maybe you should go home and we'll take care of killing the werewolves tomorrow."

I just clutched Jesse's hand and screamed, "Look!" Only it came out in a squeak.

That large, prone object? Yeah, it's moving. A ghost is materializing out of it. Although I'm a mediator, I've never seen a ghost formed out of a just-dead person before. Under the silver moonlight, the glowing ghost became solid and not glowing. Fur erupted from the 'ghost''s body and that ghost became a wolf-man. It howled at the moon.

We had just witnessed the transformation of a werewolf. Then, the werewolf charged on all four toward us.


	7. Chapter 7

Five

"Susannah, drive!" Jesse yelled at me. But before I could do that, the werewolf stepped in front of us, growling menacingly. It raises one huge fist to slam it into my windshield.

"Duck!" Jesse pulled me under our seats. He reached into the back and pulled out an ornate silver dagger, and send it flying to the werewolf. It struck the werewolf on the shoulder.

The werewolf hissed. With one swipe of its paw, it tore the Camaro's door right off its hinges. It reached inside and grabbed me from under my seat.

"Jesse!" I screamed. "Get the wolfsbane!" I am not going to faint like a girl and scream for the guy to save me. I am going to remain calm. I am—

POW! The scent of the werewolf almost knocked me senseless. It smells worse than barf soaked in petroleum. I think I am ready to faint now.

"Susannah!" Jesse had lassoed a rope around the werewolf's neck, and was attempting to strangle it. The werewolf growled and backhanded Jesse. Jesse fell to the floor and hit his head on a rock. He did not move.

"Jesse!" I screamed. I hit the werewolf with my back. "Let me down! Or I'll kill you!"

The werewolf grunted when I poked my clutch in his eye. He released me and I fell down in a heap, spraining my ankle.

"Ouch!" I winced. I spotted headlights and I quickly ran to the bend, waving my arms around. "Help! A werewolf is after me!"

The car stopped in front of me, blinding me with its light. I covered my eyes and stared at the convertible. A silver BMW. How do I know this car?

"Hi, Suze. Going somewhere?" A familiar voice taunted.

I raised my eyes and stared in horror at Paul Slater, fellow mediator and… werewolf.

The werewolf behind me dropped to all fours as a form of salutation. Paul smirked. I sent him to escort you to our wedding, Suze."

What? "What wedding?" I asked.

"Our wedding. You see, Suze, I planned to create a whole new race of super mediators. Combined with my lycanthropic DNA and your mediator abilities, we will create an army of werewolves. We will take over the world. No one can stop us, or they'll end up like that priest…"

"You killed Father Dominic?" I asked in horror. "How could you?"

"He figured out about my plan, Suze. He talked to me to persuade me to stop my wrongdoings. Ha! He paid for it." Paul laughed.

"But…why maul Christian hitchhikers?" I asked.

"I am planning to recruit their ghosts to make undead werewolves, Suze. Let me guess…the priest became a ghost, right? So how about I ask him to be our high priest to engage us in holy matrimony?" Paul smiled at me. "Plus, the Christian werewolves hates the Catholic church. I don't have to persuade them long to nail the priest to that cross like Jesus Christ, honey."  
My mind reeled. I took a step backwards.

"And if you're thinking of going anywhere, think again. I have sent wedding 'gifts' to your family, and some of my comrades, too. So if you don't agree…well, your family will be recruited."

I don't believe it. First he's holding me hostage, then blackmailing me. What a jerk. I sneaked a look at Jesse, willing him to wake up. But he didn't move.

Paul followed my gaze and his smile hardened. He barked at the crouching werewolf. "Finish him!" The werewolf leaped up to sink his teeth into Jesse's flesh.

"NO!" I placed myself in front of Jesse. "Kill me first if you must kill him," I said defiantly, chin jutting out in determination. Paul sighed.

"Fine. As long as you agreed to say 'I do' when the priest ask you if you want to marry me. And to receive my kiss of eternal life…" Paul smirked.

I think he meant receive the werewolf curse. "Fine," I said.

"Bring him along." Paul jerked a thumb in Jesse's direction. "Kill him if she tries to escape. The werewolf picked Jesse up and dumped him at the back of Paul's convertible. Paul opened the door, bowed, and waved for me to seat down first. Not knowing what to do, I went in.

I can't let them kill Jesse. I didn't travel back to the past just to see him getting mauled or me being a beta werewolf. But how can I escape?


	8. Chapter 8

Seven

"There!" A female werewolf minion shoved me into the bathroom of the Basilica. Paul had taken us back to the church, so that we could be wed in unholy matrimony. The female were was in charge of putting make-up on me.

"I was a hairdresser when I'm alive, you know," she chuckled as she coiled my hair up. "You'll look fantastic. Mr. Paul had even picked some flowers for you. And he personally bought a custom-made tux and gown." She pointed to some bougainvillea lying nearby. The knid where you gave as offerings to the dead.

I bet Paul bought custom-made tuxes because he can't wear human ones in his werewolf state.

I just sat still when the werewolf helped me put on makeup and all. I'm thinking of a plan to escape. But I haven't come up with a plan yet.

"Done!" The werewolf turned me around to look at the mirror. "My, my, you look beautiful."

I want to vomit. I mean, tonight was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Graduation from High School, Senior Prom, date with Jesse… In the end, what do I get? A crucified priest, a werewolf wedding, and watching my family and boyfriend die.

"Hurry up and enter the anteroom," the werewolf pushed me along the corrider. "Up the aisle and say I do. By the way, Mr. Paul has arranged a surprise for you."

I entered the room, wondering if I should do a 'Runaway Bride' antic. Then I saw my whole family.

"Suze!" David cried. "Don't marry him!" He was being held hostage by some werewolf soldiers. Beside him were an unconscious Andy, my terrified mother, a sleepy-eyed Sleepy who thought he was dreaming, and a dumb Dopey, who didn't know who the people holding him were.

"Mom! Doc, Andy!" I cried.

"Well well well. Do you like my surprise? I'd like your family to witness our union, darling. I've brought my family too." Paul smiled evilly and pointed to another row of seats.

Jack, Paul's brother, was tied to the chair, bound and gagged. Dr. Slaski was struggling with his bounds, cursing and shouting at Paul. Paul just smirked.

And then, right in front of the altar, was Jesse. I looked at him in horror.

"As a reminder, if any of your family, my family, or you try to

escape or sabotage this wedding, he will be sacrificed. To me." Paul licked his lips. "And now, shall we let your mother lead you up the aisle?"

My mom was released by some werewolves. She stumbled towards me in horror.

"Susie! What's going on? Are they werewolves? Who's that evil guy who want to marry you?" she cried when she reached me.

"Paul Slater, the werewolf who can see ghosts and used to be my classmate. He likes me, but I like Jesse. So he's now forcing me to marry me." I said.

"Ghosts? Werewolves?" my mom cried.

"It's a long story. To sum it up, I've been seeing ghosts since I was two, I'm a mediator. So was Jack, Jesse, and Father Dom. In fact, Jesse was a ghost, but I brought him to life. And werewolves are apparently real," I explained.

My mom looked ready to faint. "I—"

"Alright, no talking! Mrs. Ackerman, my future mother-in-law, will you please lead Susannah up the aisle?" Paul smirked.

My mom was holding back tears as she slowly lead me up the aisle. My feet felt like lead, and I wish the aisle would never end.

"Hurry up, it's almost dawn!" Paul shouted.

I stumbled, and my two-inch long earrings fell in front of me. I took a good light at it. Silver. It's made of silver! I don't know if it'll work, but I still have to try.

I stepped beside Paul as Father Dom the ghost came materialising. He opened his bible and started toread in a sorrowful voice.

"No tricks, priest. Or I'll exorcise you. Or kill Jesse. Either way, people will die," Paul warned.

Father Dom looked at me apologetically, and read the vows.

"Will you answer me right now? These questions, as your wedding vow? Will you take him as your husband? Will you love him all your life? Will you have, and also hold?" Father Dom droned on.

I carefully fidgeted as though I am picking my ears. Gross, I know, but discreet.

"…Just as you have at this time told? Will you love with all your heart? Will you love till death you part?"

"Um, I do." I carefully pulled the earpiece off and eyed the sharp part. Phew. Made of silver… wait. Copper? I racked my brains to remember the chemical properties of copper taught in my chemistry class. It's an… alloy? Wait, what's an alloy?

"You're married now! So kiss the bride, but please, do keep it dignified," Father Dom said to Paul.

Paul smirked and held me close to him. I pretended to put want

to kiss him back. I put my arms around his neck, and kissed him first, so he won't know what I'm gonna do with my necklace.

Just as he's putting his tongue in my mouth, I gathered strength, and plunged the copper alloy earring into his neck, the point where I hope is his pulse.

copper alloy from: vow from: http://weddings. 


	9. Chapter 9

Eight

Paul yelped and stumbled away from me, his hand over his neck. "What the hell did you do, bitch?" he yelled.

Pandemonium erupted, and Jesse woke up from his faint. He took in the situation: Paul rolling on the floor in pain, werewolves standing up in concern, frightened faces of my family and Jack and Dr. Slaski, and me with only one earring.

"It's OK. I just bit his tongue," I said. Jesse raised an eyebrow. I nodded slightly. Father Dominic coughed embarrassedly.

The werewolves all settled back down. "Murderess! You—"

"Come on, honey. I thought you wanted some tongue action. What's a little bleeding tongue getting you so up?" I smirked.

The other werewolves snickered. I knelt down beside Paul. "Goodbye, darling." I ripped off my other earring, and plunged it directly into Paul's heart. My hair was covering the wound. Paul gasped and clutched his chest as blood slowly seeped through his tux.

The werewolves stopped laughing and looked at us. Paul was dead, and he was turning back into a human. A ghost.

I grabbed him before he could materialise away and sent him straight into the hallway, aka the void. His anguished scream filled the Basilica.

All the werewolves set to kill their hostages. Luckily, they all turned back into ghosts a second later, confused. I released Jesse, Jack and Dr. Slaski and told them how to send them to the hallway. They obeyed, and five minutes later, all of them were gone.

I yawned. It's already six in the morning.

"Susannah," a voice said. I turned around and saw Father Dom. He looked faint already.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I think I'm ready to move on after justice is meted out to my murderers. Thank you for your and Jesse's help," he said.

"Anytime, you're welcome," I smiled.

"Be good, and take care of yourself, OK?" Father Dom smiled one last time before he shimmered away.

I whispered hoarsely, "Am I ever anything but?" And then I slid to the floor.

Not quite. A pair of strong arms encircled me. "Susannah," he breathed.

I turned around, and right in front of a waking Andy and Sleepy, a gawking Doc and Dopey, and a smiling Jack, Sr. Slaski, and my mom, made out with Jesse. For five minutes flat. Better that all the Frenches

we'd ever had.

After a while, we broke off.

"Well, well done, Susannah. Especially about the earring thing," Jesse complimented me.

I blushed. "Actually, Jesse, what is a copper alloy?"

Jesse blinked. Before he could say a word…

"—An alloy is a combination of metal with one or more other metals. Pure silver is very soft and ductile but can be hardened by alloying. Copper is the favorite hardener and normally is employed in the production of sterling silver, which must contain a minimum of 92.5 silver, and also in the production of coin silver…" It was Doc, rambling away. And for once, I actually listened.

"Thank you, David. Er, what's going on, exactly?" Andy asked.

"Yeah. I only remember sleeping in my bed, then waking up here," Sleepy said.

"Oh, well, someone is holding Suze hostage because the guy wants to marry her, and kidnapped us to ensure that Suze will marry him. But luckily Suze took care of the guy," my mom said hastily. I smiled thankfully at her.

"You killed him?" Dopey gawked.

"I knocked him out. His minions carried him away," I said.

"You let him get away?" Sleepy asked incredulously. "What if he came back?"

"Oh, he won't." I said confidently. "And, by the way, Father Dominic was actually killed by my captor. I hope they'll catch him," I added as the doors to the Basilica burst open. Police officers entered, and we gave statements.

"Suze, what happened to your earrings? They were made of real sapphires!" my mom scolded jokingly.

"Aww, mom," I laughed.

"I'll forgive you if you tell me the whole story," my mom said meaningfully.

I smiled as Jesse held my hand. Jack and Dr. Slaski looked at me encouragingly. "Someday I might," I said.

"Someday I'll tell you who I really am. Who we all are."

copper alloy from: 


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